It’s back: “Take 5” with the 13 enthusiastic faces partnering with Michigan Farm Bureau to host a Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter at their institution. Our Collegiate Farm Bureau advisors offer students a variety of opportunities, preparing them for discussion meets, connecting them with their county Farm Bureau and introducing them to the organization.
Without further adieu…
Who are you and what is your official title?
My name is Kristen Brown, and I’m the program coordinator for the MSU Institute of Agricultural Technology here at Monroe County Community College.
What was the path you took to get the position you’re in now?
I have been in agriculture my entire life. I’m the daughter of a third-generation farmer in Monroe County. I attended MSU, receiving degrees in business marketing and advertising. Our family owns K&B Plants in Temperance, a local retail greenhouse that’s been operational for 41 years. We’re just a few years away from being a centennial farm.
After college I went into pharmaceutical sales, worked at our greenhouse and ran Corner Farm Market, a local farm stand in Erie, for seven years. It’s now owned and operated by a different family under the name Country View Farm Market. I also was a licensed realtor in the state of Michigan, ran a property management company for 10 years and worked in the Kid’s Ministry of our church. I’ve done a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but always maintained a foothold in agriculture.
This position took my love for students, agriculture and marketing and meshed it into the perfect career!
What programs either related to collegiate Farm Bureau or your courses are you most proud of?
I am really proud of the seminar class and internship class that are part of the IAT curriculum. They are both great opportunities for the students to collaborate and connect with members of Farm Bureau. The seminar class offers an opportunity for local members and businesses to come into the classroom and educate the students on their individual roles in agriculture. They’re able to see the variety of careers that are available and the paths many have taken to get there. The internship course offers the students an opportunity to get into the community, to network with other individuals and to possibly start their careers.
What is the most exciting part of working with your students?
I enjoy problem-solving with them. There are so many challenges students face — academically, financially, personally — and it’s really rewarding to be able to offer guidance, or other ways to help them figure out what their next step should be.
What are ways your county Farm Bureau has helped encourage membership involvement in your Collegiate chapter and how has Michigan Farm Bureau influenced the chapter involvement?
Our county Farm Bureau has offered to come into our seminar class in the fall to meet students, offer the benefits of membership and to welcome them with open arms into the local Collegiate Farm Bureau. I have and will continue to encourage their membership through the various activities that are offered statewide and locally. Our local reps and the state reps have done an excellent job at communicating available scholarships, networking events and social events. I hope to continue to grow the partnership as my time here prevails, being new (four months!) I am still working towards a rich collaboration.
If you’re a college student interested in where our food comes from, or have a background in agriculture, or just want to help Michigan grow (literally), you should check out Michigan Collegiate Farm Bureau. It helps students like yourself network with peers and ag professionals, build career and leadership skills, and develop their voices as agricultural advocates.
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